befriending

present participle of befriend

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of befriending The Trasks encounter a wide swath of citizens, haggling with sneaky cheats, exploiting innocent fools, and befriending big-hearted neighbors. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026 Holmes invited documentarians to capture the Theranos founder’s last few days of freedom before going to prison (and eventually befriending Jen Shah/shunning Ghislaine Maxwell). — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026 Gigi had joined Hollis’ girls’ weekend after befriending her online out of complicated guilt over her affair with Matthew. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Aug. 2026 Yes, many passengers on these upscale brief sailings enjoy a drink or two, but befriending a bartender isn’t the mission. — David Dickstein, Oc Register, 15 July 2026 Henrietta also had a particular fondness for befriending young women, and disseminating scientific works and sharing knowledge with them. — Leah Hudson, Popular Science, 9 July 2026 Living in Rio de Janeiro, Luiza dreams of being an artist, eventually befriending a local graffiti group. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 16 June 2026 Utterback, who’d just gotten married and bought a house in Omaha, instead devoted himself to learning on his own, poring over books, making regular trips to Japan, and befriending masters of the craft. — Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 Palmer-Tomkinson was friends with both William and Prince Harry, befriending them in childhood. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befriending
Verb
  • Erivo introduced Groff and Tate, then revealed that Minogue, who was seated in the audience, would be joining the cast.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • After two decades in the business, Passaggio Wines is joining the ranks of California wineries forced to end operations.
    — Ella Chakarian, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The festival also reflected the growing importance of music tourism, with international audiences increasingly traveling for experiences that combine music, culture and destination.
    — Peony Hirwani, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Maya runs away from her pain by traveling the world, first to Portugal and then to London and Japan, but an unexpected romance forces her to confront her past and realize that there may be more than one love of her life.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Befriending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befriending. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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